Saturday, June 5, 2021

day five - a bridge too far


Sail off anchor 6:05 after a clear, calm night.  Light E wind, mist along the shore.  Splashing sounds near the marsh grass, birds or fish, I can't tell, ghosting on the lake at 1.6.  

video, sailing at dawn on South Lake

Out across the mouth of the Alligator River making 4.4 at 7:10.  Entering Albemarle  Sound at 7:35, very rough and choppy where the river meets the sound.  Making 4.9 with wind forward of the beam.  7:55 calmer out on the sound.


Just after 8:00 a thin line of trees appears on the far shore of Albemarle Sound.


Military range marker in sight at 8:25, round the marker at 9:00.


There are two military ranges on the sound, one marked as a live firing area and the other marked as restricted.  I take that restricted seriously as the point nearby was used as a training area for a very famous raid about a decade ago.   The two areas narrow the width of the sound and cause me to make a decision on where I'm headed earlier than I like.  I turn towards the Perquimans River.  In Hertford there is a free town dock with water and fuel available nearby, and I could use a little of both.

9:25 sailing due west at 3.6.  10:20 approaching the Perquimans River entrance, 3.5 with wind on the starboard quarter.  11:00 wing and wing, 3.6.  11:45 in the river with Harvey Point to port, 2.2.  More wind at 12:15, cooler and overcast, 3.9.

1:00 motor sailing.  1:15 wind, 3.9 and I have the river to myself.  Round a marker and turn to the northwest as the river begins to narrow.


Main and jib down at 2:30 and pass under the taller of two bridges.


Nearing the lower bridge I call the bridge tender and tell them I am a small boat coming around the barges near the bridge.  Can I get an opening please?


A long wait before a woman comes on the radio and says "the bridge isn't opening today" just as I realize that the barges are not around the corner from the bridge, they are in fact working on the bridge.  "When will it open?" I ask.  "They don't tell us nothing!" she says sounding a little distgusted.   "What about tomorrow?"  She doesn't know.  "Would somebody with the city know?" I ask.  I can't understand her response as it is both mumbled and disgusted.  I realize I'm not getting in to Herford.  I'm not happy with that but what am I gonna do?  It was a nice sail.


I turn towards Racoon Creek and drop anchor.  Omeals spaghetti dinner using creek water to set off the heating pad in order to save my water supply.  Boom tent up and I can hear some thunder.  My weather app shows it to be a tiny little storm.  It arrives with swirling wind and some light rain, then moves on quickly.  Getting colder as evening approaches.


 33.95 NM for the day

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